Additional Steps Needed to Address Overlap in International Broadcasting

Nearly two-thirds of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) language services -- offices that produce content for particular languages and regions -- overlap with another BBG service by providing programs to the same countries in the same languages.

GAO identified 23 instances of overlap involving 43 of BBG's 69 services. BBG officials noted that some overlap may be helpful in providing news from various sources in countries of strategic interest to the United States; however, they acknowledged that overlap reduces the funding available for broadcasts that may have greater impact. BBG budget information indicates that BBG spent approximately $149 million in fiscal year 2011 to maintain language services broadcasting in the same countries and languages -- nearly 20 percent of its total appropriations. However, BBG has not estimated the potential savings and efficiencies from reducing unnecessary overlap. Further, BBG's annual language service review -- its primary means of prioritizing broadcast languages and planning resource allocations -- does not systematically consider the cost and impact of overlap. As a result, BBG may be missing opportunities to reduce overlap as appropriate, strengthen impact, and improve BBG entity coordination. GAO recommends that BBG systematically consider in its annual language service reviews (1) the cost and impact of overlap among BBG entities' language services and (2) the activities of other international broadcasters. BBG agreed with GAO's recommendations and reported taking initial steps to implement them.